72 Insect Life : Its Why and Wherefore 
slake its thirst. This fact is easily proved 
by placing a vessel of water or anything 
damp near their burrows, and flashing a 
light upon them or stealing quietly to the 
spot, late at night, after lights have been 
put out. Many people are in the habit of 
placing damp woollen goods near a fire 
to dry during the night, and their amaze- 
ment is great, especially in the case of 
stockings, when they see large holes in them. 
Destructive. — The cricket is most 
destructive of damp wool, though he does 
not by any means pass by dry goods. 
Quite recently I was shown some pairs of 
stockings which had been placed near a 
hot water cylinder to air. The owner 
thought that there had been an invasion 
of mice, but I knew that there was a cricket 
encampment close at hand, and that the 
result, which made the stockings look 
as if they had been riddled with grape 
shot, was caused by these mischievous little 
intruders. To some people the chirruping 
song is very soothing, and there is super- 
stitious veneration of the cricket, it being 
considered lucky to have them in the 
house ; while to others the noise is a cause 
